Page 79 - The Complexity Perspective 20 02 18

Diffusion

A customer buys an item and experiences it; he or she then posts an
opinion in the customer comments section of the product's website. If
the opinion is positive it may encourage others to buy and so help

diffuse the adoption of the product. If not positive, it may (a)
discourage future buyers and/or (b) encourage the supplier to amend
the offering.

Adaptation

An organization changes to adapt to a shift in the context (e.g., takes
on a new technology). This adaptation shifts the firm's
competitiveness in the market. Competitors must now adapt to
the shift. The context is never still, every move by every agent induces

a shift that influences tactical moves by other agents.

Emergence

In, for example, technology Emergence, the inventions and insights of
prior scientists and technologists represent the context of today's
inventors. Today's inventors, following their local and personal

interests, make their contribution and so amend the technology
context that faces the next round of inventors.

Self-organization

Imagine a social movement built on outrage over a perceived or actual
injustice. Activists interact with those sympathetic to the issue and
spontaneously organize. If the population of potentially outraged

individuals is big enough, communications through their networks will
increase the mass of the movement by communicating the issue and
creating a vehicle to express one's level of outrage. The process of

spreading is positive feedback.

79
©Business Games Works 2018 (Version 1)